Cot, hammock, or stretcher.



Patented-Mar. 27, I900. E. 8 BEDFORD. COT, HAMMOCK, 0R STRETCHER.

(Application filed Jan. 5, 1899.) (No Model.) 2 Shoats-8heet l.

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No. 646,398. Patented Mar. 27, I900.

. E. s sanronn. COT, HAMMOCK, 0R STRETCHER.

(Application filed Jan. 5, 1899.) (No Model.)

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Tn: norms PETERS 00.. PNO'YD-LITHQ. WASHINGTON, D. I;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFF CE.

EBENEZER S. BEDFORD, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN BELL, JR., OF MARINE OITY, MICHIGAN.

COT, HAMMOCK, OR STRETCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 646,398, dated March 27, 1900. Application filed January 5, 1899. Serial No. 701,233. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EBENEZER S. BEDFORD, a citizen of Canada, residing at Detroit, county of W ayne, State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improve mentin Cots, Hammocks, or Stretchers; and I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to cot and hammock supports, and has for its object a convertible cot support, hammock support, and stretcher. Y

The invention consists in the peculiar construction and arrangement of parts which constitute a framework that may be used interchangeably as a cot or cot-bed support or as hangers to stretch the hammock part of the cot from any suitable support to which the hanger may be attached. Also those parts which constitute the legs when the structure is used as a cot-bed may be properly arranged without other change than that of a position, so as to become handles to enable the structure to be used as a stretcher.

In the drawings, Figure l is a plan of the frame. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail of the leg or handle attachment. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail in perspective of the top angle-iron at the central part of the frame. Fig. at is a perspective of a double hook used at one end of the frame. Fig. 5 shows the means of connecting the two parts of the frame at the center. Fig. 6 is a side elevation showing the structure as a cot-bedstead. Fig. 7 is a side elevation showing the structure as a stretcher. Fig. 8 is a side elevation showing the structure as a hammock. Fig. 9 is a detail of the end cross-stretcher.

The main frame consists of four straight frame-pieces and is made in two parts. Each part or half consists of two pieces A and B, (or A 13",) which meet at an angle and are joined by angle-irons 3. The shape of the angle-iron 3 that engages with the side pieces A and B depends somewhat on the material of which the frame-pieces A and B are made. That end 3 of the piece 3 which engages by any well-known hinge-joint, as shown in the drawings. The hinge-joint employed is a hook and eye. The lower angle-iron 5 thus becomes a tension member and the upper angle-iron 3 becomes a compression member. The junction angle-irons are so set as to allow the central part of the frame to drop some distance lower than the ends of the frame, but the central part of the frame will be supported by the coaction of the tension and compression members.

To each side piece A B A B of the frame,

near its outer end, is secured a bracket or tie iron 2, that extends to one side of the side piece and is provided with some means for holding the leg-piece or handhold 2 securely in either of three positions which itis to take, as shown in the drawings. The bracket 2 is made in the form of a double angle-iron or U-shaped iron having two flanges 2 and 2, united byaweb 2 One of the flanges 2 engages against one of the vertical faces of the side piece. The other flange 2 hangs parallel with a vertical face of the said piece, but spaced from it sufficiently so that the end of the leg 2* may engage between the flange 2 and the vertical face of the side piece. Through the web 2 is a hole through which the extreme end of the leg 2 can project slightly. Through the two flanges 2 and 2 is a bolt-hole for a bolt 2 The leg-piece 2 is provided with an oval hole, through which the bolt 2 engages, and the oval hole 2 is so disposed in position that the leg may be drawn downward until the extreme end of it drops below the Web 2, and the leg may then be turned on the bolt 2 as on a pivot, and the leg can be turned with the foot end pointing to the center of the frame or the other way, so that the foot end points outward, and the leg then becomes a handle extending beyond the outer end of the side piece. Small pins are inserted in the face of each of the frame-pieces, near the outer ends, to aid the bracket when the leg-piece 2 is used as a handle.

Near the outer end of two of the framepieces A and B are vertical holes, (shown in the piece 13 at 49,) and to the upper face of each of the other pieces is fastened a double hook, (shown at r in Fig. 1,) and, shown in detail in Fig. 4:, a stretcher 9, provided with a right-angled hook 9 and having the extreme end of the hook terminated with a thread and provided at the other end with a neck and a head or button 9 is employed to keep the frame pieces properly spread. IVhen the structure is to be used as a cot, the hook 9 of the stretcher is placed in the hole at, and the neck engages under the inner end 4 of the double hook 4". WVhen the structure is to be used as a hammock, the neck engages under the outer hook 4. There is a similar stretcher at each end of the structure. One of the stretchers is inserted through the hem in the canvas, which forms the cotboitom or the hammock, and the other end of the canvas is drawn tightly over the other stretcher and made fast by means of cords or, preferably, by means of straps and buckles.

For use as a cot the two parts of the frame are hooked together at the center point. The leg-pieces 2 are turned down to perform their function as leg-supports, and the canvas is stretched from end to end between the stretchers 9. The cot is converted into a stretcher by simply turning the leg-pieces until they assume the position proper to perform their function as handles. The cot is converted into a hammock by lifting the middle of it upward, disengaging the hook and eye 5" and 5", and turning the frame-pieces out until they assume the position indicated in Fig. 8, where they become hangers instead of braces. 7

Provision is made for the support of a shelter-tent above the cot by means of six short pieces of wire. (Shown in position in Fig. 6.) In the outer end of each frame is a vertical hole 6, into which is inserted the end of a wire rod 6 which engages with a similar rod 6, that joins the rod rising from the other end of the frame. Each of the rods 6 and 6 is joined to the other by a terminal eye in the one piece that engages over the other rod, and the two may be slipped so thattheircom: bined length may be nearly double the length of the two rods or so that their combined length will be only little more than the length of one of them. The entire rod structure may thus be packed in the bundle formed when the frame-pieces are packed together.

The entire frame is packed into small coma a W.

pass by uncoupling the neck 9 from the hook l swinging the cross-stretcher 9 to a position parallel with the frame-piece, closing the outer ends of the frame-pieces, placing the halves together,and the rods 6 6 and 6,with the frame-pieces, wrapping the canvas around them, and tying the bundle or strapping the bundle. The straps used to draw the canvas over the end of the stretcher can be utilized to strap the bundle.

Preferably the legs or handles 2 are secured to the inside faces of the frame-piece A and B, because when secured to this face they pack to better advantage than when secured to the outer face. The mechanical action, however, would not be different.

I claim- 1. In a frame for cot-beds, the combination of two frames, junction-irons on said frames, each frame being composed of two side pieces pinned to one of said junction-irons whereby the two frames are symmetrically expansible, and said frames being arranged to meetmidway between the ends of the cot, hinge-irons joining the under surfaces of said frames, the

frames being provided with abutting ends,

arranged to meet above the hinged joint, stretcher-rods arranged to span the frames across each end, and means whereby the stretcheurods maybe secured to said frames, substantially as described.

2. A frame for stretching and holding the canvas or hammock part of a cot-bed, comprising in combination two expansible frames, each of said frames having side bars, which are hinged together, and of which the free ends are adapted to be spread or closed together, hinge connections arranged below abutting meeting ends of the side frames whereby the two frames are connected and centrally self-supported, and stretcher-bars and means for holding the stretcher-bars to the free ends of the side bars of the frame, substantially as described.

3. In combination with a canvas bottom, a frame made in two parts, junction-irons provided with abutting ends for the upper face of each part, j unction-irons provided with detachable hinge-jointconnections for the lower face of each frame part, stretcher-rods at the outer ends of each frame over which the canvas is secured, the two frame-pieces being adapted for engagement at the middle of said canvas and below it, or to'be disengaged and swung outward and used as hangers to support said canvas, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

EBENEZER S. BEDFORD.

Witnesses:

CHARLES l BURTON, MARION A. REEVE. 

